Historical Cult Hero: Arsenal – Ian Wright
Arsene Wenger looks to be in the market for a prolific striker this summer – what would he give to have this Gunners legend back spearheading his team?
Ian Wright scored a stunning 185 goals in 288 Arsenal appearances, but aside from his goalscoring he became a cult hero for his fierce commitment on the pitch and his colourful character off it.
Arsenal supporters would be hard-pressed to choose just one Premier League cult hero; Ray Parlour, Manu Petit, Dennis Bergkamp, Laurent Koscielny and the evergreen Nwankwo Kanu could probably all stake a claim.
But when Wright joined the club back in 1991 for £2.5 million from Crystal Palace, they signed a player who was crucial in transitioning George Graham’s grafters into Arsene Wenger’s Artisans.
Instant Impact
Some questioned Graham’s decision to sign Wright at the time, Arsenal were reigning champions and had Alan Smith, Paul Merson, Kevin Campbell and the majestic Anders Limpar all well established.
But the Woolwich-born striker made an instant impact, scoring on both his debut and league debut – a hat-trick at Southampton that was a sign of things to come.
Graham’s team increasingly became a team of workers rather than magicians, but in the era of ‘One-nil to the Arsenal’ it was usually Wright who was responsible for the one.
He won the domestic cup double in 1993 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1994, on his way to becoming Arsenal’s top scorer for six successive seasons.
(Graham Chadwick/ALLSPORT)
Graham and Bruce Rioch departed but Wright stayed and was joined by the game-changing Wenger and the mercurial Dutchman Bergkamp.
The two strikers formed a deadly duo, with Bergkamp’s guile luring opponents in and Wright often bringing the killer instinct.
Champion
Despite being 33 the England striker scored 23 goals in 1996-97 and became Arsenal’s then record goalscorer with a hat-trick against Bolton, famously revealing his ‘179 – Just Done it!’ T-shirt a goal too early.
The 1997-98 season saw the forward’s goals fire Arsene Wenger’s side to the double, Wright’s first league trophy and the Gunners’ first in seven seasons.
Wright went on to play for Notts Forest, Burnley, Celtic and West Ham – his time at Upton Park perhaps best remembered for him vandalising a referee’s dressing room after being sent off against Leeds Utd.
The Arsenal legend was criminally overlooked by England throughout his career. He was the First Division’s top scorer in 1991-92 but wasn’t selected for England’s Euro 92 squad at the expense of Arsenal teammates Smith and Merson – as well as Nigel Clough.
Despite his international struggles the Gunners hero will always be remembered by virtually all as a great goalscorer as well as a scorer of great goals.
Wright became a master of scoring every type of goal, poacher’s finishes were his bread and butter but his sublime lob at Swindon and instinctive chip against Everton will live long in the memory.
Wright was known for being a fiery character on the pitch, just ask Peter Schmeichel, but he also expressed his intense passion through his famous celebrations that inspired young footballers all over the world.
